Influencer Emily Mitchell Died of a Pulmonary Embolism During Pregnancy—Here’s What to Know - Health.com

It starts with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the lower leg, thigh, or pelvis, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

When that clot breaks loose and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs, it can cause a pulmonary embolism.

A pulmonary embolism can also be life-threatening, Medline Plus says, especially if the clot is large or if there are several clots.

This could be due to hormones or other factors in the blood or changes in the way blood flows through your veins.

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For medicines, doctors will often use anticoagulants (aka blood thinners) to keep clots from getting larger and stop new clots from forming and thrombolytic, which are medicines used to dissolve blood clots

The filter will then catch blood clots before they travel to the lungs, helping to prevent a future PE